


Need for Speed One Shots

by fhartz91



Series: Need for Speed 'Verse [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Bottoming, Bottoming from the Top, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Car Sex, Cars, Dalton Academy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fast Cars, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, First Time Bottoming, First Time Topping, Fluff and Angst, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Niff, Oral Sex, Outdoor Sex, Romance, Sex, Sex in a Car, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Topping, Topping from the Bottom, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-09
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-01-04 04:15:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 14,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1076416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fhartz91/pseuds/fhartz91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a collection of one-shots I wrote as inspiration struck. Their place in the overall Need for Speed Universe will be explained as they get posted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Echo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sentimental moment with Kurt and Blaine having sex in the backseat of Kurt's car, remembering what it was like to be teenagers in love doing the same thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This one-shot was inspired by the Klaine Advent Drabble Challenge. This is for day 5 - "Echo". It is set somewhere during Blaine and Kurt's college years, on a trip back home during the holidays.

“Right there!” Kurt screeched, arching his back and slamming a frustrated hand on the back of the car seat. “I said… _nngh_ …there!”

“I’ve got you, darling,” Blaine smirked, shifting a little, adjusting his angle so he could hit Kurt right where Kurt needed him. Blaine held Kurt’s hips and thrust up hard, smiling when Kurt gifted him with a long, satisfied moan.

It was cold - so cold that even with the heat inside the car, frost still found a way to form over the windows. But Kurt refused to be discouraged by a little cold. It had been so long since they had visited their private ledge on the hillside, too long since they had been naked in the back seat of Kurt’s silver-blue Mustang, too long since Kurt had felt like a horny, carefree teenager in love.

Blaine, in his leather jacket that still fit and smelling of warm cedar and peppermint, knew all the right buttons to push, all the spots on Kurt's body to touch and kiss that would bring him back to that place where the future always looked so bright as long as they were together.

As they got older, it seemed the back seat of Kurt’s Mustang got smaller, but that didn’t matter. It felt like ages since they’d been together this way, in this beautiful car with so much of their history written into it, all of their memories, all of their passions, all of the things that they’d loved and lost along the way.

Yet they survived, and here they were together, as if time had never moved an inch, as if it had been sitting up there, between twilight and dawn, waiting for them to return.

Kurt shivered, fighting his own body’s reaction to the cold. Blaine leaned his head against Kurt’s back, listening to the racing of his heartbeat, and noticed something rather unusual in the pattern of Kurt’s heart as it beat in his chest in comparison to his own. The closer he paid attention, the more Blaine realized that their hearts didn’t beat at the same time, they didn’t beat together. Blaine’s heart beat just a bit behind Kurt’s, a faint echo, as if his whole body knew that wherever Kurt went, he would always follow.

 


	2. Chapter 17A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of the original story Need for Speed Chapter 17, which is a Niff scene. This is Nick and Jeff's first time, written in three parts, inspired by the Klaine Advent Drabble Challenge. This is for day 7 - gift.

Nick and Jeff laid side by side on Nick’s bed, Nick’s lips swollen from a hundred kisses – each one a message, an apology, or a promise – _sorry for not telling you how I felt sooner_ … _I promise to make you happy from this day forward_ … _I’m so happy we’re here together_. Jeff held Nick’s hand, twining their fingers together, enjoying the feeling of Nick’s soft palm sliding against his rough, calloused skin.

Nick ran gentle fingertips down Jeff’s cheek, needing a reminder that this was real. Jeff turned his face and kissed Nick’s fingers, smiling when Nick gasped at the touch of his lips against his skin. Jeff had been Nick’s best friend for as long as he could remember. Nick thought a lot about the day they met. It was one of his favorite memories. They were just children, but Nick, in his own way, had fallen in love with Jeff, without understanding or reservation.

Nick’s feelings for Jeff had always been complicated. Jeff was such an easy going guy. Everybody got along with Jeff, even the so-called super cool, popular kids, and yet Jeff picked Nick, first and foremost, over everyone else. Nick loved Jeff, admired Jeff, was often extremely jealous of Jeff. It never dawned on Nick that Jeff might actually like him as more than a friend. He had seen Jeff with girlfriends before, endured watching them hold each other, watching them whisper sweetly and privately…watching them kiss.

It killed Nick to watch Jeff kiss someone else, but Nick thought Jeff had to be an incredible kisser.

Nick bit his lip, thinking that yes, Jeff _was_ an incredible kisser.

“What are you thinking, Nicky?” Jeff asked, taking Nick’s hand in his and pressing tender kisses into his palm, onto his wrist. Nick trembled at the light contact. No one had ever touched him that way. He had been saving himself for Jeff. Even when he thought holding on to that dream was foolish, he held out hope.

“I…I don’t understand, Jeff,” Nick said. “If you felt this way, why didn’t you ask me out before?”

Jeff sighed, closing his eyes in thought as he breathed against Nick’s skin.

“I wish things were different,” Jeff confessed. “I wish I had more than just myself to give you.”

“You know things like that don’t matter to me,” Nick said, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and holding him closer. “This is all I want…just you and me together. Besides, if that’s the case, then I don’t actually have anything to give you, either. If my parents ever find out about us, they’d probably pull my trust fund…or worse.”

Jeff swallowed hard. He knew exactly what ‘worse’ meant. It was no secret that Nick’s parents were extremely homophobic. They had always been suspicious of Nick and Jeff’s enduring friendship, and regardless of Nick’s constant reassurances that they were only friends, Nick had been threatened on numerous occasions.

Nick knew _exactly_ what was waiting for him if his parents ever found out about Jeff.

The Christian gay-to-straight conversion camp they had picked out was one of the strictest in the country.

“You _did_ get my first kiss, though,” Nick said, placing a bashful peck to the hollow of Jeff’s throat.

“I’m sorry I didn’t have that to give you,” Jeff said with a regretful sigh.

“Don’t,” Nick said. “Don’t be sorry. You’re here with me now. That’s all that matters to me.”

Jeff toyed with the piercing in his tongue as he considered Nick’s words. His fingers traced little circles around Nick’s shoulder as he fought for the courage to continue.

“I really only have one thing that’s mine to give.” Jeff looked deep into Nick’s whiskey-colored eyes. “I kind of think of it as a gift…and I’m hoping you’ll accept it.”

Nick stared into Jeff’s open and honest face, his brow furrowed in confusion. Jeff’s warm, innocent eyes suddenly looked sinful and wanting, and Nick immediately understood.

“You…you mean…” he stammered. “But, I thought…with Victoria, at least.”

A mental image of the girl considered the belle of Crawford Country Day sprang vividly to mind. Even by Nick’s exacting standards, Victoria LaFontaine was the epitome of a classic, Renaissance beauty – silky, honey blond hair, a bow shaped mouth, perfectly plump lips, and blessedly developed for a girl of sixteen. But Victoria wasn’t only beautiful. The thing that had struck Nick most was how enamored she had been with Jeff, how close they seemed, how they complimented one another. They made an undeniable match. Nick had been certain that for the year Jeff dated her, he had lost his beloved Jeff to his true soul mate.

Jeff chuckled.

“I know that’s what you thought, but no…and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth.” Jeff turned fully on his side to face Nick. “So, how about it, Nicky?” Jeff’s voice dropped a bit, his whisper a velvet caress over Nick’s suddenly heated skin. “Do you want to be with me?”

Nick, overwhelmed in the face of what Jeff was offering, tried to diffuse the tension through humor.

“Would it be tacky to say I bought you the same gift?” Nick asked.

Jeff laughed, inching closer, bringing Nick’s body in tighter with the pull of his arm around Nick’s waist.

“No, Nick,” he said, lips hovering just out of Nick’s reach. “In fact, I think it’s beautiful. I think you’re beautiful…and I want to remember tonight for the rest of my life…”


	3. Chapter 17B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of the original story Need for Speed Chapter 17, which is a Niff scene. This is Nick and Jeff's first time, written in three parts, inspired by the Klaine Advent Drabble Challenge. This is for day 8 - human. Warnings for underage sex.

Nick waited, the moment suspended between them as Jeff’s deep chocolate-brown eyes gazed into his, locking them intimately together. Every breath from Jeff’s mouth tickled Nick’s lips, fanning the fire that had started to grow in Nick’s body. He wanted Jeff, but he didn’t know how to tell him. Nick’s mind worked around words he didn’t speak. His restless hands flexed in the air, reaching for Jeff but grabbing hold of nothing.

Jeff watched Nick, making no move toward him. Nick couldn’t imagine what Jeff wanted, what _he_ was waiting for. Jeff’s eyes flicked down to Nick’s lips, and then back up to his eyes.

“You have to decide, Nicky,” Jeff whispered. “You have to come to me.”

Nick didn’t wait any longer. He closed the distance of barely a breath, claiming Jeff’s lips, crashing into him with the momentum of time, of years spent pining and waiting and dreaming of this exact moment. This time when he kissed Jeff, knowing what would most likely come next sent an incredible rush through him. It started from the point where Jeff’s tongue piercing brushed against Nick’s tongue and shot out like a firework in all directions, lighting Nick up from the inside, sending sparks racing throughout every nerve.

That touch of Jeff’s lips against Nick’s was the catalyst that crumbled every barrier in Nick’s head. Nick pulled Jeff on top of him, quickly stripping off Jeff’s denim jacket and tossing it to the floor. His fingers grabbed for the hem of Jeff’s Henley, pulling it up his torso and trying to force it over his head without breaking their kiss.

Jeff chuckled as he broke away from his eager boyfriend.                        

“Hold on, Nicky,” Jeff said with a laugh. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Jeff slipped the shirt over his head while Nick watched, and when the light from the moon outside washed over Jeff’s kneeling form, Nick’s heart stopped.

Nick had seen Jeff shirtless tons of times, but this was different. This was Jeff - his _boyfriend_ Jeff - straddling his hips, looking down on him with his disarming boyish grin and lust-filled eyes. Nick took this opportunity to truly appreciate the flat planes and sculpted muscles of Jeff’s chest and stomach, and Jeff let him – let him take in his fill, preening a bit at Nick’s open-mouthed expression of awe, feeling himself get harder with every sweep of Nick’s eyes.

Nick reached out a trembling hand to run his fingertips over Jeff’s skin, but stopped himself an inch away from Jeff’s abs. There was still a part of Nick that thought this might all be a vivid dream, and if he tried to make contact with Jeff, tried to feel him, the spell would break and he would find himself in bed alone, still clutching his phone, waiting for Jeff to return from wherever he had run off to.

Jeff seemed to understand Nick’s hesitation. He always seemed to know what strange thoughts ran through Nick’s mind. He grabbed Nick’s wrist and pulled it forward, resting Nick’s hand on his stomach. Nick sucked in a sharp breath. Jeff moved Nick’s hand slowly over his body, using his fingertips to outline his muscles, to trace the definition of his chest. He leaned over Nick’s body to accommodate the reach of his arm. Finally, he brought his boyfriend’s hand to settle over the aching bulge in his jeans. He pressed against it, palming his own cock with Nick’s hand.

“See, Nicky,” Jeff said, his voice cracking as Nick became bolder and wrapped his fingers around him. “You can touch me. I _want_ you to touch me…all you want. I’m yours. Every part of me belongs to you.”

Nick swallowed hard, the sound loud in the quiet room, but he didn’t have time to feel self-conscious when he had Jeff in his hands, and those darkening eyes still locked on his.

Jeff gently kissed away the look of shock on Nick’s face, humming against Nick’s lips, moaning into his mouth at the feeling of Nick’s hand touching him.

Jeff reached for the hem of Nick’s shirt, dragging the fabric over his skin. When Jeff started pulling away, sliding the shirt over Nick’s shoulders, Nick startled, grabbing for Jeff’s hands to stop him.

“Why not, Nick?” Jeff asked, frowning slightly. “I want to see my beautiful boyfriend.”

Nick sighed.

“I’m not beautiful,” he said, turning his face away, hoping Jeff didn’t see him blush with embarrassment. Jeff captured Nick’s chin with his fingers and turned his head, leaning down to kiss the tip of Nick’s nose.

“Of course you are, Nick,” Jeff said softly. “You’re the most beautiful human being I’ve ever seen.”


	4. Chapter 17C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For anyone waiting for part three of the Niff first time chapter, here it is, inspired by the Klaine Prompt "Ice".

Nick’s hands shook as he dropped them to his sides, his eyes giving Jeff permission to continue. He did, pulling the shirt up Nick’s shoulders, slipping it over his head, and then tossing it carelessly to the floor. Nick watched Jeff closely for any clues, any evidence that he might change his mind and reject him, but Jeff smiled as he gazed down on Nick’s smooth, pale skin, running his fingers appreciatively over his exposed chest.

“There’s my Nicky,” Jeff said. “My handsome boyfriend.”

Nick’s breath hitched in his throat as Jeff’s fingers danced along his sternum, moving lower, lower, reaching for the waist band of his pants. It was almost too much, the feeling of Jeff’s fingers trailing down his skin, the look of love with a hint of lust shining down on him from Jeff’s eyes. Jeff took his time exploring his boyfriend’s body, but also waiting for any possible objections, indications that Nick wanted to stop.

Nick fought hard to stamp down his self-doubt and his trepidation at the thought of Jeff seeing him completely naked. Jeff had an athletic body – hard from constant training and tan from working on his car shirtless in the sun. He danced like Fred Astaire, and no power in the universe could keep the boy still, so he had an extraordinary physique. Nick was an athlete, too, but his body was a little softer than Jeff’s. Not from lack of trying – it’s just the way Nick was.

Nick hated genetics for giving him the body he had, especially when bodies like Jeff’s existed in the world to make him feel insignificant.

Nick was actually terrified of Jeff seeing him naked, but not only because of his physical flaws. He didn’t know what Jeff would think of seeing his obvious desire, of knowing how much Nick wanted him.

Jeff saw the flash of apprehension on Nick’s face.

“Why don’t I go first?”

Jeff lifted off Nick’s body, stepping off the bed and onto the floor. Nick sat up, mesmerized as Jeff undid the button of his jeans and pulled them down swiftly, kicking them away. Without any shame, he pulled down his briefs.

Nick’s jaw dropped, staring at Jeff’s erect cock, flushed a deep pink and standing proudly against his taut abs. Nick had never seen anything so amazing in his life. Seeing Jeff like this, naked, aroused, his eyes full of unchecked fire, took Nick’s breath away.

“Are you okay?” Jeff asked as he approached the bed.

“Uh…” First, it took a moment for Nick to realize Jeff had asked him a question. Then, he had to remember how to speak. “Uh…I…”

“Yeah?” Jeff’s smile curled his lips, lifting the edges almost completely to his eyes.

Jeff sat beside him, folding his leg casually beneath his body as if he wasn’t hard as a rock and gloriously naked.

“Uh…you’re…I mean…” Nick blushed, stammering like an idiot.

“I think I should maybe say thank you?” Jeff asked, biting his lip, a rosy blush coloring his cheeks.

Nick nodded. Jeff cocked his head, looking Nick up and down.

“Can I undress you now?” Jeff asked, climbing back over Nick’s body.

Nick nodded, his eyes locked on Jeff’s, hoping he wouldn’t chicken out if he had Jeff’s eyes to focus on and didn’t have to watch Jeff pulling down his lounge pants.

Jeff, however, didn’t get the memo. His eyes followed his hands as they tugged Nick’s pants down, gaze fixated on Nick’s growing erection. Jeff didn’t touch, he just looked, observing Nick from every angle like he was investigating something new and fantastic. Nick had to ball his hands into fists to keep from turning his hips away. Then, Jeff pressed a kiss to the head of Nick’s swollen cock, and Nick’s heart raced painfully in his tight ribcage. Nick looked down and saw Jeff’s tongue slip out from between his lips, bathing his shaft with delicate licks. Nick moaned, shoving his fist into his mouth to keep himself quiet.

When Jeff slipped Nick completely into his mouth, Nick was sure he had died and gone to heaven. Jeff gave Nick a few hard sucks, moving from base to head. He pulled off when he felt Nick’s hips buck up.

“Sorry,” Jeff said with a satisfied grin. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”

Nick wanted to say something witty, wanted to grant him permission to do that anytime he wanted, but Jeff’s lips were on his and he couldn’t think straight. Jeff’s hands traveled over every inch of bare skin he could reach. Touch and heat consumed Nick’s thoughts. When Jeff wrapped his hand around both their cocks together, stroked, and then moaned in his throat, Nick had to pull away.

Jeff jerked back, his wide brown eyes looking wounded.

“Jeff, baby,” Nick panted, “if you keep doing that, I won’t last long enough for you to make love to me.”

Jeff’s face lit up.

“Baby?” he asked, putting a hand on Nick’s chest.

“Yeah…I’m…”

“I like it,” Jeff admitted. “A lot.” He kissed Nick again, trying to sweep the onset of embarrassment away. “So, you want me to make love to you?”

Nick didn’t want to stutter this answer, so he tried to siphon strength from the passion in Jeff’s eyes.

“Yes, Jeff,” Nick said, sounding sure. “Make love to me?”

“Of course, Nicky. Did…do you want me to finger you?”

Nick _did_ want it, but the idea of Jeff putting his fingers _there_ mortified him. He shook his head.

“Not this time,” Nick said. “Just…go slow, okay?”

Jeff ran to his desk to get a condom and a bottle of lube. He fished through the bottom drawer, beneath several books and papers, a stapler, rulers, erasers, pencils, and what looked like every school supply he owned.

Nick laughed nervously when Jeff bounded back onto the bed, his cock bobbing between his legs as he straddled Nick again, but that laughter turned to awe as Jeff rolled the condom over his own length and covered himself with a generous dollop of lube.

Jeff noticed Nick’s impressed stare and smiled shyly.

“I…may have practiced…once or twice,” Jeff admitted. His gaze flicked up to meet Nick’s rapidly dilating eyes. “Do you want to be on your back or your stomach?”

“Uh…”

Nick turned over without answering. He wanted to make love to Jeff, looking into his eyes, but not this time. He didn’t have the nerve. It didn’t matter so much as long as he was with Jeff – touched by Jeff’s hands, kissed by Jeff’s lips, with Jeff’s voice in his ear, were all he needed.

Jeff entered Nick gradually, but Nick couldn’t help his reaction. As soon as the blunt head of Jeff’s cock breached the ring of muscle at his entrance, Nick’s body went cold as a sheet of ice before the burn set in. He hissed with the pain. He squeezed his eyes shut, grabbing at the blankets, balling them in his fists.

“I’m sorry, Nicky,” Jeff said, running his hands over Nick’s back, trying his best to go slow, to soothe the sting. “I’m so sorry.”

Nick didn’t know how to tell Jeff not to be sorry, that he wanted it, he wanted the pain and the burn and everything that went with it, if it meant he got to have Jeff as well, but Nick couldn’t string any words together that made sense. His body went rigid, his mouth bone dry.

“Oh, Nicky.”

He felt Jeff panic, felt him pull out. Nick reached an arm back, grabbing at Jeff’s hip, stilling his movement. He didn’t want Jeff to stop. Yes, it hurt - it hurt like hell, actually - but after the pain came an intense, relaxing pleasure.

“Please,” Nick gasped. “Don’t stop.”

“Are…are you sure?” Jeff’s voice shook with worry.

Nick took a steadying breath and nodded.

“Please, baby,” Nick sighed, regaining his cool. “Please, don’t stop.”

Jeff moved again, full strokes in and out of Nick’s body, but so slowly that the build-up of anticipation became worse than the pain.

“Jeff?” Nick turned his head to look at his boyfriend. Jeff’s hair was plastered to his head with sweat, face red from the effort of hovering above Nick and moving so slow. Jeff’s eyes met Nick’s, and Nick tried his hardest to smile nonchalantly, considering the position he was in.

“What, Nicky?” Jeff asked. “What do you want me to do?”

“It doesn’t hurt now,” Nick reassured him. “Maybe…you could go faster?”

Jeff’s entire body relaxed as he rested more of his weight on Nick, moving faster in and out of his body. The change in speed opened a gate inside Nick. All of his apprehension and doubt slipped away, replaced by heat, pleasure, fullness, and the titillating brush within him that sent shockwaves to every nerve, courtesy of the incredible body of his boyfriend.

Nick moaned, suddenly unashamed of anyone hearing or of what Jeff might think. It simply had to happen. There was no way to stop it.

“Oh, Jeff…” Nick writhed, fists relaxing, hips lifting to meet Jeff’s thrusts. “Oh, Jeff, that’s…that feels so good…”

“Really?” Jeff asked. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Jeff,” Nick whined. “Yes, yes, yes…”

Jeff chuckled, a thrill of excitement shooting through him at hearing his boyfriend whimper with ecstasy. Jeff held on to Nick’s hips to still his enthusiastic bucks backward and pounded harder, doing his best to give Nick what he wanted. Jeff shifted, trying to get better leverage, and Nick arched his back, losing nearly all his breath.

“There, Jeff!” Nick pleaded. “Just…there…please!”

Jeff wanted to please Nick, wanted Nick to melt at his touch, cum so hard he couldn’t remember his own name. Nick meant so much to him. Every time he thought of Nick, his world felt complete, and anything seemed possible. He had spent so much time loving his best friend from afar that this moment, the two of them together, no matter how spectacular or awkward, awesome or awful, was the culmination of an entire life spent dreaming of the day he would have the confidence to make Nick his.

“Oh, Nicky,” Jeff panted, back sweating, hips stuttering, fingernails digging into Nick’s skin, “my incredible Nicky…”

Jeff’s words slid over Nick, sewing together every fissure in his heart – every time he had to watch Jeff kiss someone else, every time he saw Jeff gaze meaningfully into his girlfriend’s eyes, every whisper, every hug, every touch… The more Jeff moved, the smaller Nick’s world became, until all that existed, all that mattered, started with a single touch – the point of contact where their bodies met - and consumed his everything.

Jeff came hard inside his boyfriend, stars spiraling behind his eyes, and at that exact moment he got his dream come true – Nick coming completely undone and moaning his name. Jeff wrapped an arm beneath Nick’s waist, catching him before he fell completely to the mattress, helping him down on wobbly knees.

Swiftly and discreetly, Jeff tied off the condom and pitched it. He laid beside an exhausted Nick, their naked bodies lying unashamedly side by side, arms tangled, fingers laced together, listening to their ragged breaths fading in the moonlit room.

“Nicky?” Jeff turned to look at Nick’s profile in the silver light.

“Hmm?” Nick asked, floating back to earth from the euphoria of his high.

“Do you love me?” Jeff asked.

Nick met Jeff’s gaze. He answered - not a breath, not a thought wasted.

“I’ve _always_ loved you, Jeff,” Nick admitted.

“Always?” Jeff asked.

“ _Always_ always,” Nick chuckled.

Jeff nodded.

“I’ve always been in love with you, Nicky,” Jeff confessed. “From the moment I first saw you…and for the rest of my life, I’ll always be yours.”

Nick smiled, pressing a kiss to Jeff’s lips, sighing happily. He turned on his side, and Jeff wrapped his arms around him.

“Jeff?” Nick whispered, eyes falling closed. “Would you sleep here with me?”

Jeff kissed Nick’s shoulder.

“Whenever you want, Nicky,” Jeff whispered against Nick’s skin. “Whenever you want.”


	5. Breaking the Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place during chapter 5 of the original Need for Speed story, the scene where Jeremiah is talking to Blaine and Kurt gets jealous. Inspired by the Klaine Advent Challenge Drabble prompt for day 9 "Ice"

Jeremiah shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he maneuvered through the groups of teams gathered tightly together around their cars, hoods opened, displaying their engines while the mechanics buzzed around like bees. Jeremiah tightened his arms and went rigid, trying to keep his body heat trapped beneath the thin fabric of the military style jacket his boyfriend had lent him.

 _‘Such a California boy,’_  Jeremiah mused, shaking his head of tawny brown curls as a shiver shot through him.  _‘Choosing style over function.’_  He smiled at the thought of his adorable surfer boy, and relished the fact that at least the jacket still smelled like Ryan – a comforting mixture of Coppertone and salt water.

His blue eyes swept the scene, hoping to find the McKinley Crew, a familiar black Mustang, and its charming owner.

Jeremiah remembered running with Blaine’s crew, back when he craved racing fast cars and the drama that went with it. That’s how he met Blaine. Even a few years younger than him, Jeremiah couldn’t deny that that boy was a heart breaker. Blaine crushed on Jeremiah pretty hard, too. For a while, it was all Jeremiah could do to keep turning him down. Eventually, Blaine got the hint, and the two of them managed to maintain a close friendship since they shared one thing – disapproving parents. Granted, when it came to disappointment, Blaine’s parents won the prize hands down. Once Jeremiah got into Stanford, his parents came around, accepting him, his lifestyle, and the sexy boyfriend that went along with it.

Jeremiah finally caught sight of his friend, perched on the hood of his precious car, eyes gazing longingly up a slight rise where a rival crew’s cars sat lined up together. Jeremiah knew Blaine wasn’t really into imports, which described every car on display.

 _‘So…’_  Jeremiah thought to himself with a smile as he eyed the drivers, looking for anyone new that he might not recognize,  _‘there must be a guy…’_

Blaine spotted Jeremiah as he approached, his mega-watt smile about a thousand times brighter than when Jeremiah last saw him.

 _‘Must be a_ hot _guy…’_

“Jeremiah!” Blaine greeted him, wrapping his arms around his friend’s waist. “So this is it, huh? You’re really leaving us then?”

“Yup,” Jeremiah said. “Leaving your sorry asses in search of sunnier climes.”

Blaine started to pull away, but Jeremiah moved with him, objecting with a whine at the loss of body heat.

“Oh, don’t let go so fast, Anderson. You’re warm, and I’m freezing.”

Blaine chuckled as he held on tighter.

“So,” Jeremiah teased, “tell me about this guy…”

Blaine sighed, turning his head to where the Dalton cars sat parked with their owners loitering nearby. Blaine sought out and found Kurt, bouncing between Hunter’s gold Silvia and Sebastian’s GT-R.

“You see that gorgeous angel over there in the gunmetal gray overalls?”

Jeremiah’s eyes flicked up the rise to where a tall, lithe figure moved from car to car, looking intensely at the screen of a handheld device.

“You mean the one Smythe has his eyes all over?”

Blaine inadvertently tightened his grip.

“Yeah,” Blaine growled. “That’s a bit of a complication.”

“Wouldn’t a bigger complication be that he’s a member of the Dalton Crew?” Jeremiah smirked.

“That’s no biggie,” Blaine said. “He goes to McKinley and he lives here in Lima. He works at his dad’s tire shop.”

“And are you sure his big appeal isn’t that nabbing him would piss the pants off of Wes?”

Blaine looked up at Jeremiah - a big, goofy grin curling the corners of his mouth.

“Nah, man. I mean, that’s a plus, don’t get me wrong. But that doesn’t matter. He’s it, man. The real deal.”

Jeremiah nodded. “Have you talked to him yet?”

“Yup,” Blaine said suggestively, cocking an eyebrow. “Turned on the old Anderson charm."

This time, Jeremiah laughed in earnest. “So, what happened after he slapped you?”

Blaine’s cocky grin turned sour. “And therein lies the only real problem.”

“What’s that?”

“I think he hates me.”

"Awww," Jeremiah teased, leaning in and kissing Blaine on the cheek. "Who could hate you, Blainers?"

Blaine laughed, nearly snorting, and shook his head.

Jeremiah looked back toward Blaine’s beautiful boy with interest and huffed out a laugh. "Uh...so you think he hates you, huh?"

"Yup," Blaine said as his laughter died down.

“Well, something tells me that’s not going to change any time soon.”

Blaine broke away from Jeremiah’s embrace and chanced a glance toward the Dalton cars to see a flash of ice blue trained his way for just a second, a glare set to kill, before Kurt stormed off.

“Shit!” Blaine exhaled. “What the fuck!?”

Jeremiah rolled his eyes at his clueless friend.

“Blaine?” Jeremiah clamped a hand on his shoulder and shook him gently. “I think this would be a perfect time to try and go break the ice.”

Blaine nodded briefly, turning to Jeremiah and flashing him a quick smile before darting away after his prize.

Jeremiah laughed.

 _‘Teenager drama,’_  he thought with a sigh.  _‘Thank God all of that is behind me.’_

 


	6. Something to be Said About Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurt and Blaine spending a hot summer afternoon having sex in their kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This comes after the original story, during the summer before the start of college. It's inspired by the Klaine Advent drabble for day 9 - "Ice". Rated M.

Kurt had hoped that the closer they got to September, the cooler the weather would become, but it seemed like the exact opposite was true. Kurt woke up to stifling heat, came home to unbearable heat, and by the evening, taking a shower was less about getting clean and more about lowering his body temperature. Even that only lasted for a moment, because as soon as he left the bathroom and made his way to the bedroom, a mere five feet, he was drenched in sweat again.

They couldn’t afford air conditioning, and even if they could, the turn-of-the-century building they lived in couldn’t accommodate a/c in every apartment, so having one simply wasn’t allowed. Kurt and Blaine spent most of the time they were home dressed in their underwear or less, their heads stuck out their seventh floor window, trying to catch a passing breeze. Dinners were often eaten on the fire escape, and a few times, they actually slept out there.

Jeff and Nick lived in a corner apartment, and managed to swing having two windows, so when the temperature went from mildly uncomfortable to completely intolerable, they invited Kurt and Blaine to stay over. It was generally understood that the sleepovers were clothing optional, but what was a little nudity among friends?

Kurt and Blaine, knowing that another sleepover loomed ahead, decided to enjoy the afternoon together and avoid any uncomfortable attempts at secret sex with their friends asleep in the same room, which wasn’t to say it didn’t happen. But Blaine preferred when he could make a _show_ of having Kurt, naked, writhing, screaming his name until the neighbors complained, being absolutely filthy with their fucking, defiling every room of their apartment.

Kurt lay out on their bed, which they had pushed into the kitchen to funnel cool air in from the open window. He stretched out like a cat on his stomach, on a new sheet that they had been keeping all day in the refrigerator, his skin glistening with sweat from the exertion of simply breathing.

Blaine went to the freezer to fetch a bowl of ice, noticing it piled to overflowing with frosted blocks.

“You sure have a thing for ice, darling,” Blaine said as he took the already prepared bowl of perfectly formed rectangles and carried them over to the bed.

“I can’t help it,” Kurt whined, rolling to his side to face Blaine. “It’s _sooooo_ hot. I mean, even California wasn’t like this in the summer.”

“Well, you know, it’s not the heat. It’s the humidity.” Blaine grinned, grabbing a couple of blocks, which started to melt immediately from the heat of his touch.

“I swear to God, if I hear another person say that…”

His words caught in his throat when Blaine’s handful of ice met his skin, the frigid water on his body literally making him purr. Blaine could swear that he saw small wisps of steam rise from the contact. His eyes followed thin rivers of water as they dripped over Kurt’s skin, and he licked his lips, thinking about tracing their path with his tongue.

“Mmmm,” Kurt hummed pleasantly. “Forget everything I ever said about Ohio winters. God, sometimes I wish we were back there.”

“Really?” Blaine asked in surprise, eyes glued to the water running down Kurt’s body, dribbling over his half-hard cock. "I thought you hated it there."

“Yeah, well, you know, I miss it when I’m sick, or delirious, or I can feel my skin melting off my bones…”

Kurt’s eyes flicked to Blaine’s face. He raised an eyebrow at the expression of _want_ that had taken over. His gaze continued on, roaming down Blaine's body, to his chest rising and falling fast as he breathed, ending at his cock, hard and throbbing between his legs.

“Hmm, what’s got you all hot and bothered?” Kurt teased, rolling onto his back on the bed, lifting his arms over his head and putting more of his body on display.

“Ha-ha,” Blaine deadpanned, the dark of his pupils blowing wide. "You know _exactly_ what's got me hot and bothered." Blaine leaned over Kurt's body, hovering just above his boyfriend's sweltering skin. "God, Kurt, I just want to lick you all over.”

Kurt saw the lust in Blaine's eyes and considered his offer for a second.

 _Only_ for a second.

“You are not putting that hot mouth anywhere near my body, Blaine Anderson,” Kurt scoffed.

It sounded like a challenge to Blaine, and Blaine never backed away from a challenge.

"We'll see," Blaine said with a smirk and a wink. Kurt watched as Blaine lifted an ice-cube from the bowl and popped it into his mouth, sucked on it, and then chewed it until it disappeared down his throat. He grabbed another and did the same – suck and chew. Then another.

Kurt watched Blaine devour the ice, focused hypnotically with hungry blue eyes on the sensual way Blaine's mouth worked around it. Then, without warning, Blaine lunged at Kurt, licking a long stripe from his collarbone to his naval. Kurt moaned from the chill feeling of Blaine’s silky tongue sliding over his hot body.

“Oh, Blaine,” he breathed. “Yes…that you can do…anytime you want.’

“Yeah,” Blaine whispered, blowing a stream of cool air over Kurt’s skin, watching goose bumps form. “Can I do this?”

Blaine swallowed a handful of ice slivers and then took Kurt’s cock into his mouth. He sucked over it, taking Kurt down his throat.

“Yes,” Kurt said, the word a breath, barely even a sound. “Yes, you can… _oooh_ …”

Blaine licked slowly around Kurt’s cock. He added more ice slivers, not allowing his mouth to heat up for a second. He let the ice melt in his mouth, then dripped it down Kurt’s shaft. Kurt threaded his fingers into Blaine’s curls, scratching blunt nails over Blaine’s scalp as he lightly twisted and pulled. Blaine closed his eyes at the tug of fingers in his hair. He hummed around Kurt, the vibrations sending tremors rippling throughout his body.

“Blaine,” Kurt moaned, his voice broken, wanton. “Would you make love to me?”

“Aren’t you enjoying yourself, darling?” Blaine asked, breaking away from Kurt only long enough to talk, and then going back to steadily sucking him off.

“Yes…oh _God_ , yes..." Kurt replied, "but I miss you.”

Blaine’s heart skipped a bit hearing that, and he pulled his mouth off of Kurt's cock.

“You miss me?” Blaine climbed over Kurt's body, bringing the bowl of ice with him.

“I do,” Kurt said, watching with lust-filled eyes as his sexy boyfriend crawled over him.

“Won’t our bodies together get kind of... _hot_?” Blaine asked, settling beside Kurt on the bed, covering the outline of Kurt’s waiting mouth with gentle kisses.

“We could always cover ourselves with ice,” Kurt suggested, turning his body away from Blaine and pushing back against him, begging for contact. Blaine obliged, trailing his hand down Kurt's body, slipping between his crack to find his entrance. Kurt was so hot, so wet from the ice, and Blaine's finger slipped inside him effortlessly. Blaine fingered his boyfriend, pumping in and out, gasping at the tight heat that surrounded his fingers, and Kurt bucked backward, moaning at the cold digits inside him.

“We can pretend we’re back in Ohio,” Kurt whispered, his eyes closing as Blaine scissored his fingers, opening Kurt up, getting him ready, “p-parked on our hilltop overlooking the valley. We’re...we're in the backseat of m-my Mustang…it’s winter, and it’s...and it's cold…”

Blaine took another piece of the rapidly melting ice and ran it along Kurt’s side, following it as far as he could manage with his tongue, the sensation of cold and hot on his skin making Kurt tremble.

"Tell me more," Blaine said, loving the way Kurt's voice stuttered beneath his touch. Blaine removed his fingers and pushed his cock inside him, bit by bit, the tight heat that had surrounded his fingers now engulfing his cock. Blaine slid into Kurt’s body smoothly, moving in long, unhurried strokes.

“The s-sun is rising, l-lighting the horizon, and you’re inside me, just like this…”

Kurt’s words drifted away as a new piece of ice traveled over his erection, starting at the base, slowly making its way to the head, and teasing around the tip in lazy circles. Blaine cooled Kurt down and heated him up all at the same time. Kurt’s cock strained, his body screaming with the need to cum, but that necessary edge had dripped away. Blaine knew he could keep Kurt this way for hours, but his own need overpowered his desire to torment his boyfriend.

“You like that, don’t you, darling?” Blaine whispered. "Having sex in your car where anyone can see? Where anyone can catch me fucking you? You’re a little exhibitionist, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Kurt whined, winding his arms behind him to loop around Blaine’s neck.

“That’s good.” Blaine groaned when Kurt slammed back against him. “Because your Mustang makes me _hot_.”

And if that statement didn’t sound like a slightly veiled double entendre, Kurt didn’t know what did.

Kurt found a rhythm and started fucking himself back against Blaine’s body. Blaine, close to cumming, decided to relax and let his boyfriend have his way. He scooped up ice water in his cupped hand and poured it over Kurt’s body, staving off his own orgasm in the process with the numbing cold.

Kurt pounded against Blaine’s body relentlessly as the water washed over him, hands gripping the mattress, his knuckles white as he used the bed for leverage.

“That’s...that's it, darling,” Blaine stammered, watching his boyfriend's body, his cock moving in and out of Kurt's hole. “That’s it. K-keep...keep going.”

Kurt bent at the waist, almost completely in half. He grabbed Blaine’s hand and put it on his hip, pressing down on his fingers until Blaine's nails curled into his skin. Kurt started to lose steam, had already lost the ability to put together a coherent sentence, and this was his way of asking Blaine to take over.

Blaine smiled, driving himself into his boyfriend’s body until Kurt arched his back and cried out. The bed frame shook back and forth, scraping the linoleum on the kitchen floor, etching it with black gashes that Kurt and Blaine knew they'd have to fix...eventually.

Kurt’s shaking hand slipped down his chest, finding his neglected cock bobbing between his legs with every slam of Blaine inside his body, and wrapped his fingers around it. The rocking of the bed upended the bowl, drenching the sheet beneath them in ice cold water.  It traveled through the fibers and seeped into their skin. Kurt came as soon as the cold touched him. He pushed himself flush against his boyfriend, shuddering against Blaine’s body.

“Oh, darling…” Blaine groaned. His eyes rolled back, his fingernails biting into Kurt’s pale skin, words from his mouth turning into a mess of garbled, guttural noises. Kurt didn't mind the oversensitivity of Blaine fucking him dry, but he was dying to hear Blaine lose total control, to feel him cum.

Kurt took advantage of Blaine's one sure-fire Achilles heel.

“Oh, _fuuuck_ , Blaine,” Kurt said. “Fuck me, Blaine! Fuck me!”

Cursing. Blaine loved it when Kurt cursed.

Blaine’s grip on Kurt’s hipbone tightened, his hips stuttering, his voice switching from a low moan to a hoarse growl. Kurt chuckled as he felt Blaine cum inside him, at how animal a few little four-letter words made him.

Blaine felt Kurt shiver as he came down from his high and wrapped his arms around Kurt’s body, holding him close.

“That was a dirty trick, darling,” Blaine said, pressing kisses to Kurt's neck, nibbling on the places he knew would make Kurt shiver more. “I was preparing for a nice, long fuck.”

“We can do that,” Kurt said, peeking over Blaine’s body to look at his bowl of ice, now empty. “But we’re going to need more ice.”

Blaine picked up the bowl and sighed.

“I’m on it.”


	7. An Unlucky Shot

**A/N:** _Written for the Klaine Advent Drabble Challenge Day 12 "Loft". Also features a completely silent Nick Duval._

 

_“He’s never going to make it.”_

_“Of course, he’s going to make it.”_

_“He was on the football team at school, of course he’s going to make it.”_

_“What does football have to do with golf?”_

_“I’m just saying, he…”_

“Will you shut up?” Kurt hissed, quieting the whispers of his friends as he tried his hardest to concentrate on his ball.

Silence fell among the onlookers, waiting for their turn.

Kurt took one practice swing.

Then another.

He held his breath, biting his lip, eyes fixed in deep concentration.

Another swing…a bigger swing…this was definitely it.

_“I’m telling you, it’s never going to make it…”_

That last distraction threw Kurt’s game. He chipped the ball, which lofted high in the air, hitting the windmill, bouncing off the castle window, knocking off the clown’s nose and heading straight for the parking lot.

All four friends stood stock still as they awaited the consequences of Kurt’s shot.

When they heard the car window break, and the alarm go off, all four of them dropped their clubs and bolted.

As they ran for the far parking lot, away from the now gathering crowd, Blaine slid Jeff a $10 bill.

Jeff smirked.

“I told you he wasn’t going to make it.”

 


	8. An Unhappy Birthday Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blaine doesn’t get an important message from Kurt, and unfortunately for him, hilarity ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Inspired by Klaine Advent challenge day 13 "Message".

_To: Kurt_

_From: Finn_

_What up, dude! Guess what? The party’s a go after all! The whole crew can make it tonight! Blaine’s going to be sooo surprised!_

Kurt saw the message waiting for him as he left NYADA and nearly dropped his phone, _Holy shit!_ the first thought that entered his head.

Kurt read the message one more time, just to be sure, and panicked.

“Shitshitshitshit!” he murmured as he raced toward the subway, frantically texting and calling Blaine along the way.

_To: Blaine_

_From: Kurt_

_Mayday, babe! Cancel your plans for tonight…whatever they were…I can’t tell you why. Throw on a t-shirt and jeans and wait for me to get there!!!’_

Kurt knew exactly what Blaine’s plans for the night had been. Blaine was awful at keeping secrets and terrible at hiding packages. When Kurt had found the discreet brown paper bag hastily shoved in the back of their closet, he had shivered all over with anticipation.

There was only one store that Blaine shopped at that used thick brown paper bags like that one, and they didn’t allow anyone under the age of 18 inside. The bag was stapled shut ( _fuck!_ ) but by its size and weight, Kurt had a pretty good idea what Blaine had bought.

At the time, Kurt couldn’t wait to see it.

Now, as he hurried through the city on his way to catch a train, his entire body vibrated with anxiety, his heart hammering in his chest. He sent and re-sent the message, called over a dozen times, even tried to get a hold of their roommates, Nick and Jeff, but no luck.

“Please get the message,” Kurt chanted as he ran the rest of the way from the subway to their loft apartment. “Please get the message…please get the message…”

He hoped that if he repeated it over and over, Blaine might somehow psychically hear him.

Familiar voices and laughter greeted Kurt as he reached his loft and its giant sliding door. He crossed his fingers and prayed that he would open it to find Blaine dressed in his favorite t-shirt and jeans, mingling with the members of the McKinley Crew, eating pizza, drinking soda, waiting for Kurt to come sing _Happy Birthday_ and cut Blaine’s cake.

When the door slid open, Kurt saw their friends gathered inside. He didn’t spot Blaine right away but once he did, his heart went out to him.

Still, Kurt couldn’t help the bark of laughter that erupted unintentionally from his lips.

The whole crew was there, along with Nick and Jeff, all giggling and whispering as Kurt walked in, while poor Blaine - barred from changing by Puck and Sam till Kurt came home - sat dejected on the couch, legs crossed, shirtless, wearing nothing but ass-less leather chaps.

Kurt reached him on the other side of the apartment and sighed, biting his lip hard to stifle his smile.

“I take it you didn’t get my message,” Kurt said with a tinge of laughter in his voice that tried so hard to be sympathetic.

Blaine looked up into Kurt’s face, hazel eyes burning as brightly as his glowing red cheeks.

“No,” he said calmly as laughter exploded around them. “No, I…I didn’t get the message.”

 

 


	9. A Forest of Post-Its

**A/N:** _This was inspired by the Klaine Advent Challenge Prompt "message". This is Niff, and very fluffy :)_

They're simple messages at first. Just tiny little notes to fill in the gaps between the moments when they don't get the chance to see each other.

_Please pick up more toothpaste. You, know, the one I like that doesn't burn, but is still minty. – Jeff_

_Cap for the milk, please. On the bottle. Meet you at 5. – Nick_

_Did you take my Milk Duds? Seriously, not cool. – Jeff_

A forest of Post-Its on the headboard of their bed, the bathroom mirror, the refrigerator door. They pull them off and toss them out after they read them…or sometimes they don't. Sometimes they don't quite make the trash when Jeff balls them up and throws them, since they're light, and they sit like tiny pebbles on the kitchen floor.

Finals come around, and they see each other less and less, and the Post-It notes pile up. A whole forest of yellow papers grow on the walls, on the mirrors, on the bed. The number of messages grows, but the words are less and less…sometimes, so is the meaning.

_Need more milk – Jeff_

_Take out the trash – Nick_

_Did it yesterday – Jeff_

_Need to do it again – Nick_

Jeff pulls one off the wall and reads it, frowning.

He misses Nicky.

He spends so much time at the studio, and Nick works late hours with the firm where he interns.

Jeff loves Nick, but he hasn't told him in when…he couldn't remember.

Jeff picks up the closest pad and begins to write, finished by the time he has to go to class.

Nick comes home, and drops his bag on the kitchen table, looking over at the trash can in disgust to see it still overflowing…untouched.

Nick stamps a foot in frustration, walking over to the can. His Post-It from this morning is still there.

"Damn it, Jeff," he growls to no one, because Jeff isn't actually there.

He looks down at the Post-It, re-reading, making sure it was simple enough to understand. Except it's not his Post-It from this morning. It's a new one…from Jeff.

_Please, Nicky, don't be mad. I'll take the trash out later. I just needed to get your attention…do I have it? Go to the bathroom if I do. – Jeff_

Nick re-reads the message, and then carries it to the bathroom. On the mirror is a heart made of Post-Its. An arrow, written on the mirror in red Expo marker tells him where he should begin.

_I love your beautiful smile._

_I love the way your skin smells in the morning when I'm still asleep and you kiss me good-bye._

_I love that you kiss me when you think I'm asleep._

_I'm never asleep, Nicky._

_I wake up the minute you get out of bed, and I start missing you an hour before._

On and on they went, a whole story of how much Jeff loves him –

_I go to sleep dreaming of kissing your lips._

_When I dance, I imagine you watching me._

_Sometimes, you're dancing with me, in my arms._

_I did a pas de deux yesterday with Alyssa in class, and when we were done, I called her Nicky. She laughed._

Nick laughed, too.

_I hope you're laughing, Nicky. I miss hearing you laugh._

Nick sighed, stacking the messages carefully on top of each other, until he got to the last one.

_I'll be in love with you forever…and it's nowhere near long enough._

Nick bit his lips, kissing this last message with happy tears in his eyes. He saw the pad of Post-It notes where Jeff had left it by the sink, and wrote a note of his own.

Jeff came home late, tired, worn down. He knew Nicky would already be in bed asleep, and he sighed. After such a long day, he needed his boyfriend. At least he got to sleep beside him. He put his gear bag on the table, preparing to take out the trash, but the trash can was already empty, a new liner put in, and a Post-It stuck above it on the wall.

_Am in bed waiting with a bottle of massage oil for your back. I know you must be tired, but I love you, Jeff Sterling. Come make love to me._

Jeff smiled. There was no way on earth he was too tired for that.


	10. Midnight Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a Niff one-shot inspired by the Klaine Advent Drabble Challenge Prompts 'overture' and 'pulse'. Rated PG.

Jeff had a sudden stroke of inspiration for his upcoming NYADA project, and he couldn’t keep sleeping, restlessly moving his legs beneath the blankets of the bed, mentally choreographing step after step of the dance he hoped would not only win him the Winter Showcase, but would set the stage for the rest of his future…their future…his life with Nick by his side.

He didn’t want to wake his boyfriend, knowing that he had an early morning of running errands at court, filing papers, and unfortunately, fetching coffee.

No matter how hard Jeff tried he couldn’t keep still, and eventually Nick rolled onto his side, blinking tired eyes open. He focused on his boyfriend’s face, eyes squeezed closed in deep concentration.

“Are you awake, Jeff,” Nick mumbled, his voice hoarse and groggy, “or are you sleep dancing again?”

Jeff’s body stilled. He turned his head to see Nick’s small smile and droopy eyes.

“I’m sorry, Nicky,” Jeff said. “I just…I”

Nick sighed.

“Living room?” he asked, knowing that’s where they were headed anyway.

Jeff smiled, bounding out of bed, throwing a tight pair of dance pants over his naked legs and racing through the door before Nick had even sat up.

Nick chuckled.

His boyfriend, the Energizer bunny, just going and going and going.

Nick blushed at how accurate that description suited Jeff. If Jeff wasn’t such a boundless fount of energy, Nick might not be quite as exhausted right now.

Nick stepped into the living room just as Jeff pushed the last piece of furniture up against the wall. Nick bent down and gathered the throw rug into a neat roll, leaning it up against the couch. Jeff slipped on a pair of old practice shoes that he used for dancing on the rough woods floors in the apartment.

Nick grabbed a sketch pad and sat cross legged on the couch. Just a couple of steps, but they had to be perfect, or the rest of the dance would fail. Jeff moved swiftly across the floor, and Nick sketched quickly. Six steps total with something…something missing before the grand jete. Nick looked down at his sketch while Jeff pondered the missing step.

“Did you want the Pique Dehors at the end?” Nick asked around a yawn, “Or did you want the Fouette-en dehors?”

“What?” Jeff asked, not realizing Nick had just spoken.

“That turn at the end. It looks like you did it different both times.”

Jeff raised an eyebrow at his brunette boyfriend, smirking at the disheveled hair sticking up in all directions, and his pursed lips, still swollen from hours of kissing before bedtime.

“Show me,” Jeff said, sitting down on the arm of the couch.

Nick rolled his eyes, putting down the sketch pad and walking to the middle of the rough floor. Nick bent his knees, lifting them to his chest to stretch out the muscles. He ran over the wood floors boards with one socked toe, looking for rough spots to avoid.

“Okay,” Nick said, concentrating, praying he didn’t fall on his ass and make a fool out of himself. “The first time, you did the Pique Dehors.” Nick set his stance, and pushed off the floor, spinning on one foot, traveling slightly across the boards before stopping. He looked over at Jeff, brown eyes considering Nick carefully. Nick felt slightly unnerved, but he knew his Jeff was lost in thought. A laid back guy, but a strict perfectionist, hence these midnight impromptu practice sessions.

“But,” Nick continued, “the second time, you did this.” Another stance, another push off the floor, but this time Nick’s leg whipped around, carrying him through the spin a few times before he stopped.

Jeff nodded. He looked down at the sketch and back at Nick.

“Looking good, Nick,” Jeff said with a smile.

Nick blushed. He didn’t dance much anymore, just around Jeff. He shouldn’t be nervous dancing around Jeff, except Jeff was athletic, gorgeous, and on his way to being one of the greatest male dancers on the East Coast.

Nick was studying to be a lawyer. He didn’t regret that decision, but sometimes he felt that he and Jeff were just too different now to make any sense.

Jeff continued to look at Nick as he pondered the two spins. Nick stood with hands on hips watching Jeff’s mind work.

“So,” Nick said, interrupting Jeff’s thoughts. “What do you think?”

Jeff stood from the couch arm and walked toward Nick.

“I think I know what it’s missing.” Jeff looked Nick up and down.

“What’s that?” Nick asked.

Jeff stopped walking and stared into his boyfriend’s eyes.

“You.” Jeff took Nick’s hand and pulled him close, holding Nick pressed against him and swaying slowly.

“Me?” Nick’s brows knit together as he looked into Jeff’s eyes.

“Yup. It’s a good start, but it shouldn’t be a solo. It should be a duet…and it will. For you and me.”

“What about your project?” Nick asked. Jeff spun Nick out, and then drew him back, holding him tight again. He rubbed circles into the small of Nick’s back. Nick melted against him, resting his head on Jeff’s shoulder.

“The project can wait,” Jeff said. “Right now, _this_ is important, Nicky.”

Jeff stopped moving, letting go of Nick and rushing over to his iPod, sitting in its dock. He turned it on and scrolled through the music, looking for a specific piece.

“Aha,” he cheered, pressing play, and impishly scurrying back to where Nick waited for him in the middle of the floor.

The overture started just as Jeff reached him. Jeff’s hand slipped into Nick's and his pulse began to race.

“Nicky,” Jeff said, kissing his boyfriend softly on the lips. “May I have this dance?”

Nick blushed, lips still brushing gently over Jeff’s as he spoke.

“Jeff,” Nick whispered, “you can have every dance.”

Jeff lifted Nick in his arms and spun him around, setting him back down with another sweet but sound kiss, barely pulling away as they continued to dance, only stopping after the music finished and they had long ceased moving across the floor. They never made it back to bed, curling together on the couch, Nick laying over Jeff’s body, while they caught a few more hours of sleep.

 

 


	11. Our Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a Niff one-shot based off the Klaine Advent Drabble prompt "us".

Nick notices it every time he enters a room where Jeff sits, hunched over something on the floor he won’t let Nick see. Jeff darts his head around nervously like a frightened squirrel, then throws a towel, a blanket, or a t-shirt over it when he hears Nick approaching the room. From receipts left on the kitchen table Nick knows that Jeff has gone through three bottles of Elmer’s glue, but why a dancer would need school glue, Nick couldn’t even begin to guess. One night, when Jeff is at the studio practicing late, Nick sees it, a corner peeking out from beneath the bed, just an inconspicuous angle made of wood. Nick burns with curiosity. He stares and stares, hoping it will reveal itself without him needing to touch it, but of course it does nothing, and because Nick loves Jeff, because Nick respects Jeff, he doesn’t touch it.

Slowly, Jeff’s secret starts to drive Nick crazy, especially when Jeff creeps out of bed in the middle of the night to spend quality time with his glue.

Then one night, when the two of them are finally in the apartment at the exact same time, Jeff grabs Nick’s hand and leads him into the living room, a smile so wide it reaches his eyes, his whole face a beacon glowing with joy. He is almost child-like as he lures Nick to the sofa with, “Come on, Nicky! Come see what I did.”

It’s bigger than Nick imagined, covered with two towels, waiting for Jeff to make his big presentation. Nick sits on the sofa and watches Jeff carefully lift the towels and toss them to the floor. Nick’s jaw drops. A huge picture frame takes up a good portion of their coffee table. It mystifies Nick that Jeff managed to sneak this huge thing into the house without his noticing.

Here it is – Jeff’s month of toil in the form of a gigantic collage of pictures and snippets of notes and stories. There is a picture of Nick and Jeff standing side by side on stage with the Warblers. Another faded photograph is of them in middle school, waiting for the school bus. A picture of them swimming at summer camp here, a blue ribbon from the three-legged race they won later that same day beneath it, a letter to Jeff’s mom talking about how he hoped he would be Nick’s best friend forever. In one corner is the invitation to the Dalton Academy Prom they went to stag so they could secretly go together, along with a photo of them in inverse tuxedos – Jeff in white with a black tie, Nick in black with a white tie, standing back to back, doing their best James Bond for the camera. There are Post-It love notes, and a handful of Nick’s famous doodles which adorned every letter that Nick ever passed Jeff in history class their junior year. Inconspicuously tucked in a corner between two photos, Nick can see a gold foil corner and he knows without Jeff telling him exactly when that condom wrapper was from.

“How did you get these pictures?” Nick asks, looking at another older picture of the two of them hugging. It was taken during elementary school. Nick had skinned his knee. He had told Jeff he didn’t want anyone to see him cry, so Jeff had led Nick away to the far corner of the playground and given him a hug. A teacher had snapped their picture.

“My mom,” Jeff explains. “I wrote to her and asked her to send me all these.”

“And…the rest…” Nick’s fingers hover over the spot where Jeff has glued a picture of them riding on Jeff’s bike, Nick standing on pegs while Jeff pedaled.

“I kept it all.” Jeff puts an arm around Nick’s shoulders.

“You kept this?” Nick’s fingers linger just above a fortune Jeff had gotten on one of their first official dates. It reads ‘You will marry the man of your dreams’.

“Of course I did, Nicky,” Jeff says, kissing his temple. “This is our story. The story of us.”

Nick looks at a space covered in bright paper with no photos and no notes – a whole expanse of the framed collage left blank.

“You…you didn’t finish it,” Nick says, sounding a little disappointed.

Jeff smiles that sage, signature Jeff smile.

“Well,” he says, wrapping Nick up further in his arms, pulling his boyfriend onto his lap to make his lips easier to reach, “the story’s not finished yet.”


	12. Yes or No

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Niff one-shot written for the Klaine Advent Drabble Prompts "vodka", "whisper", and "yes". Rated M.

Jeff’s lips on Nick’s skin steals all of his resolve. As long as Jeff keeps kissing him, there isn’t a thing Nick would say ‘no’ to…except…there’s something he wants…something he’s been dreaming about, he just can’t find a way to ask for it.

Jeff knows. He knows Nick is holding back, but a hundred and one kisses and nearly an hour of Jeff fondling Nick through his jeans still won’t get Nick to talk. That doesn't matter though because Jeff knows that the fun part is the coercion, and Jeff is more than willing to try.

“Nicky…” Jeff coos as he licks lightly over the shell of Nick’s ear with his tongue, “tell me…”

Nick doesn’t want to say no to Jeff, so he simply says, “I can’t.”

“Nicky…” Jeff sounds hurt when he pulls his boyfriend close, “you know you can ask me for anything.” Jeff pouts as he looks deep into Nick’s hazel eyes, and Nick can’t help a small giggle at the ridiculous look on his adorable boyfriend’s face.

“I know,” Nick says quietly before Jeff kisses him again, paving a trail of soft pecks down his neck, “it’s just hard to ask for this.”

Jeff bites his lip, considering Nick thoughtfully.

“You could always whisper it to me,” Jeff says softly into Nick’s ear. The low, seductively sweet tone of Jeff’s voice makes Nick melt.

Nick wants to say it, but his mouth won’t let him. He shakes his head, cheeks flushing pink as he imagines the words coming out of his mouth.

Jeff sighs, trying to think of another way.

“I think Wes has some vodka in his room,” Jeff suggests. “I could give you a little…just enough to make you relax…and then you could tell me…”

Nick can’t help the rush of blood that pools hot in his stomach, and then splits – half rising up to color his cheeks, half shooting straight to his cock, making him achingly hard. The idea of being tipsy around Jeff, letting go of his inhibitions, loosening up until he could confess all his deepest, darkest, and even kinky secrets to Jeff is incredibly tempting, but no. He has a huge calculus final in the morning and he needs to think straight.

Nick’s silence is Jeff’s answer, but it doesn’t matter, because his next idea is a better one.

“I’ve got it,” he says triumphantly, moving to straddle Nick’s hips and look down into his face. “How about we play ‘Yes or No’?”

Nick holds his breath.

 _‘Oh shit!’_ he thinks, squirming internally.

“O-okay,” Nick stutters out, trying to push himself as far into the mattress as he can, praying it will read his mind and swallow him whole.

Jeff smiles brightly, sitting up high and clapping his hands together.

“Now let me think, Nicky…”

Jeff watches Nick’s face, the red streaks on his cheeks, the way his lips part when he’s nervous or excited, the way his eyes flick down to Jeff’s mouth and then dart quickly back to his eyes.

Jeff grins wider now. His beautiful Nicky…Jeff can read him like a book, and if he’s right, he loves where this story might be headed.

“Does it have to do with my mouth, Nicky?”

Jeff’s tone is seductive, sultry, a voice he saves only for Nick and no one else.

Nick swallows hard in response. He tries to shift his weight and move further down the bed before Jeff can feel his response, but little gets by Jeff in this position.

“Hmm,” Jeff hums appreciatively, “or maybe my tongue?”

Jeff licks his lips slowly, and then takes a moment to fiddle with the bar piercing in his tongue.

Nick shifts again, moaning softly.

Jeff nods.

“I think I may be right,” Jeff says, leaning down low over Nick’s body, licking gently over the seam of his lips.

“Am I right, Nicky?” Jeff asks.

Nick wants to pinch himself…make his mouth move. He manages a strangled sounding, “Yes.” It’s enough for Jeff. He moves down over Nick like a cat, retreating smoothly, brown eyes locked to Nick’s whiskey colored ones as they watch him, growing wide as saucers the farther Jeff travels.

“So I know _what_ you want,” Jeff teases, “I just need to figure out where.”

Jeff pulls off Nick’s t-shirt, grabbing it and yanking it so quickly over his head that a shocked Nick has no time to complain. Jeff pulls off his own shirt, tossing it away. He leans over Nick’s body and licks small circles over Nick’s nipples.

“Here, Nicky?” Jeff asks between licks, feeling Nick arch his back to follow Jeff’s tongue.

Jeff looks into Nick’s eyes as he shakes his head.

“No?” Jeff takes his tongue further, licking a long stripe down Nick’s chest to the waist band of his pants. Jeff dips his tongue below the elastic of Nick’s boxers, feeling him quiver.

This time Nick drums up the strength to answer.

“No, Jeff,” Nick says, and even though his voice is soft and shuddery, Jeff feels his entire body stir.

“Okay…”

Jeff hooks his fingers into Nick’s underwear and pulls them down his legs to join his shirt on the floor, stripping his own off slowly beneath Nick’s hungry gaze. Jeff’s eyes travel down Nick’s naked body. He breathes in quickly, loving the look of his boyfriend’s beautiful cock, hard and waiting for him.

“Well, I know you don’t want it here…” He teases over the head of Nick’s length with small circles. Nick throws his head back and moans louder this time. “…because we already did that.”

Jeff hovers, still teasing, waiting, hoping that Nick will just summon the courage to tell him. The sound of Nick’s incredible tenor voice, broken, wanton, asking Jeff to eat him out would be like heaven to Jeff. So he waits, still licking, still teasing, still looking boldly into Nick’s eyes.

“Just ask me, Nicky,” Jeff says. “You know I’ll say yes.”

Nick hesitates. As horrified as he is to ask, he wants it…he wants it so badly. He licks his dry lips, Jeff’s mouth teasing his cock making it so wonderfully difficult to think.

Jeff doesn’t want Nick to suffer. With a sly smile he begins to move, but Nick stops him with a gentle hand grabbing a fist full of his blonde hair. Jeff looks confused.

“Jeff,” Nick says, his voice unintentionally smooth and shameless, “Jeff, could you eat me out?”

Jeff’s smile is hungry, wolfish, carnal and lustful while still hopeless with love and affection.

“Turn over for me, baby?” Jeff asks, patting Nick on the hip.

Nick turns over onto his stomach on wobbling knees, his whole body vibrating with need and a touch of fear. Everything with Jeff is so wonderful and new. Nick doesn’t want to bore Jeff…or worse, disgust him.

Nick settles onto his stomach. Jeff rakes his nails lightly down Nick’s back, making him arch and keen.

“Oh, God, Nicky,” Jeff purrs as he climbs off the bed and pulls Nick towards him. “You’re so hot.”

Nick blushes red at the compliment, at the way Jeff moves him around the bed, tension building in his stomach as he waits for the first tentative press of Jeff’s tongue at his entrance. He anticipates it when he feels Jeff’s firm hands pull his cheeks gently apart and hears him hum appreciatively. What he doesn’t expect is the greedy mouth that’s suddenly devouring him, lips sucking, tongue exploring, filling him with incredible heat, burning so hot he doesn’t know how he will last.

“Jeff!” Nick squeaks, but the high-pitched yelp of surprise becomes a moan, and Nick writhes beneath Jeff’s tongue, at the way his hands knead his flesh a little too roughly, and the metal ball that rubs along his sensitive skin. He feels Jeff latch over him, tongue thrusting through the tight ring of muscle at Nick’s entrance mercilessly, a now free hand sneaking beneath Nick’s body to take charge of his neglected cock and stroke slowly.

Nick claws at the blanket beneath him so hard that he actually breaks through the fitted sheet, tearing it partially in half. He can feel Jeff giggle at the sound of fabric tearing, and the vibrations of it race beneath Nick’s skin.

“Oh, Jeff!” he moans, every muscle shaking as he tries to pull away from the too much incredible sensation of Jeff’s mouth. “God, Jeff! I’m going to cum!”

“Go ahead, baby,” Jeff moans, loving the sound of Nick’s desperation, letting it feed him as he pulls Nick apart, his tongue delving deeper, moving faster, his hand stroking slowly as Nick tries his hardest to fuck into Jeff’s grip.

Nick whimpers and Jeff groans, the idea of Nick so tortured turning Jeff into a wrecked mess, searching for friction anywhere he can find it…against the sheets, against the bed, until he has to abandon his grip on Nick’s ass to stroke over his own aching cock.

“Yes, yes, yes…” Nick chants into the open air, pulling the sheets off the bed as he cums, pushing back against Jeff’s mouth when he feels him suddenly falter. Jeff groans loud against Nick’s skin, pulling away and breathing deep. With not even enough energy left to climb back up onto the bed, Jeff sprawls out onto the floor. Nick crawls down with a blanket to join him, wrapping it around Jeff’s spent body, falling into Jeff’s waiting arms.

“Why…why did you do that?” Nick pants. “So fast like that?”

“You didn’t like it?” Jeff asks, mostly sincere but teasing slightly.

“You know I did.” Nick ducks his head a bit.

“I didn’t want you to overthink it…you, know…and chicken out.”

Jeff moves in quickly to kiss his boyfriend, but Nick backs away.

“I…I don’t know if I’m ready for that just yet,” Nick admits. Jeff nods in understanding, lifting Nick’s hand to his lips to kiss across his knuckles. Nick watches Jeff curiously.

“Just out of…because I…um…how do I…”

“How do you taste?” Jeff is blunt, and Nick’s cheeks burn again when he nods.

“You taste like _you_ , Nick.” Jeff moves on to kiss the other hand while Nick watches. “Soft…and clean…and just amazing.”

Jeff’s eyes flick up to meet Nick’s. Jeff tilts his head to the side slightly.

“I have a question for you,” Jeff says, his eyes hooded, “Yes or no? Would you ever want to do that again?”

Nick tries to match Jeff’s sinful gaze and smiles.

“Definitely, yes.”


	13. Wishing for the Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a little Happy New Years Niff one-shot.

Jeff smiled as Nick shivered beside him. He shrugged off his denim jacket and wrapped it around Nick’s shoulders.

“You know, we could still go to Blaine’s for the tail end of the party,” Jeff offered. “We can have a few beers, watch the ball drop…I’m sure it’s much warmer than sitting out here and staring at the Auglaize River.”

“I-I know,” Nick stuttered through trembling lips. “J-just a few m-more minutes, and then we c-can go.”

Nick shifted his position on the hood of the silver car, trying to get the blood circulation back in his legs. Jeff rolled his eyes and snaked an arm around Nick’s shoulders, pulling him in close. Nick’s cold and rigid body melted immediately against Jeff’s, a contented sigh escaping his lips.

“Not that I don’t enjoy being alone with you in the pitch black and freezing cold,” Jeff started, “but what exactly are we waiting out here for?”

Nick looked down at his knees, bent with his legs pulled up beneath him. They had been sitting out in the cold for over two hours, and he was beginning to feel a little silly.

“I was…well, I was maybe hoping that we might see…uh…”

“A what, Nicky?” Jeff turned to his boyfriend, a tiny smile curling his lips.

“A falling star,” Nick admitted quietly.

Jeff’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“A falling star?” Jeff repeated. “Why did you want to see a falling star?”

“I just…wanted a little luck…for us.” Nick sighed, bowing his head even more. “Now that I say it out loud, it sounds stupid.”

“Nicky,” Jeff admonished softly, “nothing you could say would ever sound stupid.”

Nick’s gaze stayed locked on his knees while Jeff’s eyes searched the skies, trying to find an elusive star for his boyfriend.

“Maybe we should go,” Nick said, starting to slide out of Jeff’s grasp and off of the car.

“No,” Jeff said petulantly, pulling Nick between his legs and scooting as far up the hood of the silver ZX as he could. “You want a star, Nicky, we’ll find you a star.”

“You mean that?” Nick turned to look into Jeff’s face, cheeks red and ruddy from the cold; shining brown eyes sweeping the night sky.

“Of course I mean it.” Jeff started to shiver, too. He held Nick tight in his arms, willing away the cold.

Nick sighed, smiling wide and shaking his head.

“No, Jeff,” Nick said, pulling Jeff reluctantly from the hood of the car, “we should go before you freeze to death.”

“A-are you sure?” Jeff’s teeth chattered as the pair unfolded from each other’s arms, warmth escaping as their bodies parted.

“Yes,” Nick said, nodding his head. “Positive. Maybe we don’t need a falling star for luck. Maybe we can just make our own luck.”

“And what would you wish for?” Jeff asked, eyes glued to a spot in the sky. “If you saw a falling star?”

“That’s easy.” Nick stepped close to his boyfriend, circling his narrow waist with denim clad arms. “NYADA for you. NYU for me. And a long, happy future for us both in New York.”

“Good…” Jeff turned Nick in his arms and pointed to the sky. “I think you just made your wish.”

Nick’s eyes went wide at the sight of several silver streaks shooting across the black night sky, each one burning bright for barely a second before disappearing into the inky dark.

“A meteor shower!” Nick exclaimed with delight. “I can’t believe it! What crazy…”

“Luck?” Jeff finished.

Nick chuckled.

“I guess so,” he said, shaking his head.

“Do you really want that?” Jeff asked softly. “A long and happy future…with me?”

Nick tilted his head to look into his boyfriend’s eyes.

“I always have,” Nick confessed. “And I still do…for as long as you want to be with me.”

Jeff turned Nick back around and kissed him, his tongue soft and warm against Nick’s cold, quivering lips, as he gently licked across the seam of Nick’s mouth. Nick hummed happily as Jeff kissed him, content to freeze to death in his boyfriend’s arms as long as Jeff kept kissing him.

“D-do you think if we haul ass to Blaine’s he’ll let us have one of the g-guest rooms for the n-night?”

Nick bit his lip at the look of lust in his boyfriend’s beautiful brown eyes.

“Only one way to find out,” Nick said, tugging suggestively on Jeff’s lower lip with a gentle nibble. Jeff moaned, suddenly warm all over as he led Nick to the passenger’s side door and opened it so Nick could quickly slip in. Jeff slid over the hood and into the driver’s side door in record time, firing the engine to start up the heater. He shivered once when the air blew out cold, but the car quickly heated up and both boys shed their sweaters. Jeff rolled his neck on the head rest and looked at Nick, sitting beside him, flexing his fingers as they tingled from the heat.

“What’s wrong, Nicky?” Jeff asked.

“Nothing. My fingers are still a little cold.”

Nick looked over at Jeff and smirked. Quickly Nick leaned over and pulled at Jeff’s button fly, shoving his cold fingers into Jeff’s boxer briefs and wrapping them around Jeff’s cock.

“Jesus, Nicky!” Jeff squeaked, bucking his hips in shock. “Your fingers are freezing!”

“They aren’t now.” Nick raised his eyebrows, slowly moving his hand over his boyfriends cock, feeling it grow beneath his chilly fingers. “Maybe you can take me to Blaine’s and warm the rest of me up.”

Jeff’s breathing shuddered at his boyfriend’s uncharacteristically seductive tone.

“Hell, yeah!” he said, throwing the silver car into gear and racing out onto the street. “But if you’re going to keep doing that, pray I don’t kill us before we get there.”

 


	14. Together We Make a Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the Glee Collage Fest prompt IKEA. Takes place after Nick and Jeff move to New York. Nick and Jeff at IKEA buying stuff for their new apartment.

 

“What about these?” Jeff said, holding out a string of lights for Nick’s approval. Nick looked up from the bed he had been considering to examine his boyfriend. Jeff wiggled his eyebrows, his grin wide and goofy. Nick raised an eyebrow.

“Chili pepper lights?” he asked, looking judgmentally at the gaudy curled red-plastic peppers strung on green wire that Jeff was playfully holding up to his neck. He twisted left and right, posing like he was modeling fashion jewelry. “Why in the world do we need chili pepper lights?”

“We don’t, Nicky,” Jeff said. “That’s not the point.”

“Okay…” Nick tilted his head, considering his boyfriend and his decorative preferences, “what is the point of chili pepper lights?”

“They don’t need a point,” Jeff explained. “They’re just for fun…and they’re on clearance, Nicky. You know how much you love clearance.”

Jeff raised his eyebrows hopefully, biting his lower lip and pleading silently with wide, guileless eyes.

Any other time Nick would smile at Jeff’s antics, but he didn’t have it in him. He had chosen every piece of furniture for their new place – alone – except for a bed. They’re apartment came with a refrigerator and a bed, but that was all, and the bed didn’t feel right to him. Nick felt that since the bedroom was the heart of their small shoebox apartment (it was definitely the place where they spent most of their time), Jeff should help him pick it out, but as per usual Jeff was distracted by every little thing. Nick wanted to smile, but he couldn’t, so he sighed instead.

“Jeff, baby, let’s just stick to what’s on the list for now,” Nick said, giving the list in his hand a shake to bring his boyfriend back to their task. Nick didn’t mean to sound condescending, and he regretted it immediately when he saw the smile on Jeff’s face drop, but they needed to finish shopping. Nick didn’t want them to eat another meal sitting around an old milk crate, and he didn’t want to sleep on a mattress that was two sizes too small.

“Okay,” Jeff said, returning the string of lights to the clearance bin. He stood beside Nick and peeked over his shoulder, perusing the list of furniture that Nick had painstakingly picked out for them. Nick’s eyes shifted from the list to his boyfriend.

“Is there anything wrong?” Nick asked, trying to re-open a discussion he’d been hoping to have with Jeff since they moved into their new place.

“Wrong with what?” Jeff asked, still focused on the list in Nick’s hands.

“With the furniture I picked out?”

Jeff looked at his boyfriend, making a confused face and laughing anxiously.

“No,” Jeff said, “not at all. It took you three days to put this list together. I’m sure it’s perfect.”

“Really?” Nick’s voice hovered somewhere between defensive and hurt.

“Yeah, Nicky,” Jeff said. “I trust you.”

Nick tapped his chin with the list, thinking, his eyes narrowing.

“But you don’t have any opinion about a single thing we’re buying?”

“Nope.”

“Even though you’re paying for half?”

“I’ll pay for all of it,” Jeff shrugged. “I don’t care. Whatever you need, Nicky.”

Nick was confused and angry. It seemed strange for Jeff not to have an opinion. This was _their_ apartment, _their_ life together. Why didn’t Jeff seem to care?

“But it’s not what _I_ need – it’s what _we_ need. Why don’t you have an opinion, Jeff?” Nick pressed. “What if I decided to buy everything in chrome?”

“Can we do that?” Jeff asked, his eyes lighting up with memories of long nights spent driving around in his silver 300ZX with his boyfriend by his side – not something they did much of anymore since they moved from Ohio to New York City. Jeff never realized how much he would miss it. “Because I won’t lie…that would be awesome!”

Nick looked back at Jeff in horror.

“No, Jeff,” Nick said evenly. “They don’t give us that option.”

“Damn,” Jeff said with a frown.

Nick covered his face with the list in his hands.

“Jeff…” Nick said, trying to understand his boyfriend, trying to understand what it was that didn’t matter. Nick was trying to make their small apartment into a home, into a place they would be proud to share, a place they could bring their friends and family to. Why wouldn’t these things matter to Jeff? “I just want to know why you don’t seem to care about any of this.”

“Because the furniture doesn’t really matter to me,” Jeff said in that nonchalant way that sometimes infuriated Nick.

“Urgh!” Nick threw himself down on the display bed behind him in frustration, dropping backward and groaning. Jeff followed suit, plopping down and then lying back on the mattress so he could look his boyfriend in the eyes.

“Look, Nicky,” Jeff said, “I know what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to make everything nice and I appreciate it. I mean, look what I picked out. Chili pepper lights, right?”

Nick smiled, reaching across the mattress to take Jeff’s hand.

“I mean, based on that alone I shouldn’t be allowed to pick out furniture,” Jeff explained. “I want our apartment to look nice, but to be honest, I don’t need nice furniture to make it a home for me. Shit, I don’t need any furniture, Nicky. I just need you.”

“Really?” Nick asked, scooting across the mattress to get closer to his boyfriend.

“Really,” Jeff said, closing the distance between them.

Jeff rested his forehead against Nick’s, looking deep into his boyfriend’s eyes and planting a kiss on the tip of Nick’s nose.

“I love you, Jeff,” Nick said, returning a chaste kiss to Jeff’s lips.

“I love you, too, Nicky,” Jeff said, kissing Nick back, and again on the corner of his mouth.

Nick relaxed into Jeff’s arms, not caring about the passersby who might object to two men making out on a bed in the middle of IKEA. He sighed into Jeff’s embrace and pretended that they were the only two people in the world, and he realized that Jeff was right. It didn’t matter what they had or where they were. As long as they were together, they were home.

“Nicky?” Jeff whispered.

“Yes, Jeff?”

“I really like this bed.” Jeff bounced on the mattress a couple of times. “Can we get this one?”

Nick opened his eyes wide and smiled.

“Of course, Jeff.” Nick nodded. “If this is the one you want.”

“It is.”

Jeff hugged Nick tighter and placed a kiss to the crown of his head.

“Nicky?”

“Yes, Jeff?”

“Can we…”

Nick chuckled.

“Yes, Jeff. We can get the lights.”

“Yes!” Jeff leapt off the bed and ran for the clearance bin, leaving Nick to add their new bed to the list.


End file.
